The federal government’s 2022-23 budget has failed older Australians and the people caring for them.

That’s according to prominent Newcastle elder lawyer and aged care advocate Catherine Henry.

The principal of Hunter-based law firm Catherine Henry Lawyers said the budget was a voter shop-a-thon with little substance on structural reform to address the well-known and worsening crisis in aged care.

“Despite a damning Royal Commission Report and aged care facilities continuing to battle to provide care in re-emerging COVID-19 outbreaks, there is no funding on wage rises for aged care workers,” she stated.

“The sector is only asking the federal government to support a Fair Work Commission case for a $5-an-hour wage increase for workers.

“This would help to address chronic staff shortages, particularly in regional and remote areas.”

The national spokesperson on aged care for the Australian Lawyers Alliance said funding to improve medication management in the industry and money for more vocational training places, health practitioners to provide care at facilities and quality audits of nursing homes was welcome but was “business as usual”.

“It doesn’t put a dent into these major problems,” Ms Henry explained.

“And, bits of money here and there is useless if structural reform issues, such as regulation and workforce, aren’t fixed.

“The biggest issue contributing to poor care is a lack of well-trained staff.

“There’s no proper plan for increasing training or recruiting the extra one million staff needed by 2050.

“A promised new Aged Care Act by 2023 is welcome but, given the worsening crisis in aged care, we need to see progress on the Act now, even for it to be delivered by the government’s already too slow deadline.

“This and last year’s budget are more rearranging of the deckchairs as the aged care ship rapidly sinks.

“The current regulator is a toothless tiger that is failing to address rising complaints of aged against aged care facilities and allows poor operators to operate despite failing agreed national standards.

“It is not just this government that has neglected aged care reform.

“We need to make aged care an election issue and both major parties need to step up.”

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